September is suicide prevention month, and it's a good time to talk about how counselors can help keep someone from committing suicide. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, and it's a problem that is increasing every year. Fortunately, suicide can be prevented with the help of a counselor. In this blog post, we will discuss how counselors can help suicidal people and provide some resources for those who need help.
Therapy has been found to reduce the risk of recurrent suicide attempts and self-injury. Psychotherapy can help support those who are engaging in an internal process that could gradually lead them towards hope for their future, even if it is not easy at first glance.
Working with suicidal clients can be intimidating and potentially even traumatic. It is also reasonably common. A 2003 survey of 238 predoctoral psychology interns found that 99% had treated at least one suicidal client. Among the same survey respondents, 5% had experienced the suicide of a client. Other research suggests the chance of losing a client to suicide rises as psychotherapists progress in their careers. In one survey, 28% of psychotherapists reported losing at least one client to suicide at some point.
So, what should we do when a client is suicidal?
Here are six things you should know:
Know About Laws and Protocol
Legal and ethical requirements are important when working with suicidal clients. Before you begin working with clients at your site, make sure to brush up on the federal and state laws related to reporting suicidality in your client population.
Know How to Ask
Always remember to ask each of your clients about suicidality.
Even that sweet old fellow who reminds you of grandad, or the 11 year old girl who presents with mild anxiety about cooties. Asking about suicidal thoughts can feel awkward at first, but your comfort will increase with practice.
The experience of suicidality is commonly broken down into three parts: ideation, intent, and plan
Know About Suicide vs. Self-Harm
An important distinction to make when assessing for suicidality involves differentiating suicide from self-harm, sometimes referred to in literature as "non-suicidal self-injury" or "NSSI". Suicidality and self-harm fall under a broad definition of self-directed [5]. As a therapist, recognizing the difference between suicidal and non-suicidal self-directed violence is important.
Know About Protective and Risk Factors
In addition to identifying the presence of suicidality and self-harm, you can estimate the relative risk of your client based on research.
Know About Your Resources
The first time I did a risk assessment, I felt really alone. How was I, a meager psych intern, supposed to keep this person safe?
Luckily, psychologists and counselors only represent one piece of the continuum of care for at-risk clients. Let's talk about what resources will be available for you and your client.
Know What to Do
After you have identified the presence of suicidality/self-harm and calculated some of the risk, you can feel more confident about taking the next step in treatment.
So, what is the next step?
First, calculate your client's safety risk.
Counselors can help prevent suicide by providing support and resources to people who are struggling. If you or someone you know is in need of help, please reach out to a counselor or suicide hotline today. Remember, suicide is preventable, and there is help available